Wars of The 20th Century 

World War I 1914-18

World War I, also known as the First World War or the Great War, was a global conflict that lasted from July 28, 1914, to November 11, 1918. It involved many of the world's major powers, divided into two opposing alliances: the Allies and the Central Powers.

The Allies: The main members of the Allies were France, Russia, and the United Kingdom, later joined by Italy (1915), the United States (1917), and other nations.

The Central Powers: The primary members of the Central Powers were Germany and Austria-Hungary, later joined by the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and Bulgaria.

Major Events of World War I:

The Western Front: The main theater of war was in Western Europe, where both sides were locked in trench warfare. Battle of the Marne, Battle of Somme, and Battle of Verdun were some of the major battles fought on this front.

The Eastern Front: The Eastern Front witnessed significant fighting between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and their allies against Russia.

The Gallipoli Campaign: Allies attempted to open a new front against the Ottoman Empire by seizing control of the Dardanelles Strait, but the campaign resulted in heavy casualties and little gain.

The Italian Front: Italy joined the war on the side of the Allies, and fighting took place along the Italian-Austrian border.

The War at Sea: Naval warfare played a crucial role, with both sides using submarines and surface fleets to disrupt enemy supply lines.

The war ended on November 11, 1918, with the signing of an armistice between the Allies and Germany. The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, officially ended the war and imposed harsh conditions on Germany, including territorial losses, reparations payments, and limitations on its military.

The number of deaths is estimated at 20 million or more. Factoring in the deaths caused by the 1918 influenza epidemic, spread by returning soldiers at the end of World War I, this war's death total is much higher. The epidemic alone was responsible for at least 50 million deaths.

World War II 1939-45

World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved most of the world's nations, divided into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers.

The major participants in the war were:

The Allies:

• United States
• Soviet Union
• United Kingdom
• China
• France (until its occupation by Germany in 1940)
• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand
• India
• and many other countries.

The Axis powers:

Nazi Germany, led by Adolf Hitler

Italy, initially led by Benito Mussolini (and later became a co-belligerent of the Allies after Mussolini's downfall)

Japan, was led by Emperor Hirohito and a militaristic government.

The war was triggered by several factors, including unresolved issues from World War I, aggressive expansionist policies by Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, and global economic hardships during the 1930s.

Key events of World War II include:

• The German invasion of Poland in September 1939, prompted Britain and France to declare war on Germany, officially beginning the war.
• The rapid expansion of Nazi Germany in Europe led to the occupation of numerous countries, such as France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and others.
• The Battle of Britain (1940) during which the Royal Air Force successfully defended Britain against massive German aerial attacks.
• The Holocaust, the systematic genocide carried out by the Nazis against Jews and other minority groups, resulted in the deaths of millions.
• The invasion of the Soviet Union by Germany in 1941, led to one of the most significant and deadly campaigns of the war.
• The United States' entry into the war following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
• The Pacific theater, which saw significant naval battles and island-hopping campaigns between Japan and the United States.
• The Normandy landings (D-Day) in June 1944, when the Allies launched a massive amphibious invasion of German-occupied France, marked a turning point in the war.
• The Allied victory in Europe was in May 1945, after the unconditional surrender of Germany.
• The dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States in August 1945, led to Japan's surrender and the end of the war.

World War II resulted in the deaths of an estimated 70-85 million people, making it one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. The war also led to significant geopolitical changes, the establishment of the United Nations, and the beginning of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Russian Civil War (1918-1922)

The Russian Civil War was a major conflict that took place in Russia from 1918 to 1922. It occurred in the aftermath of the October Revolution of 1917 when the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, seized power and established a socialist government. The Bolsheviks' rise to power led to widespread opposition from various factions, resulting in a complex and violent struggle for control over the country.

Parties involved in the Russian Civil War:

Bolsheviks (Red Army): The Bolsheviks were the ruling communist party, led by Vladimir Lenin and later Josef Stalin. They sought to establish a socialist state and were based in the industrialized cities of Russia.

Anti-Bolshevik Forces (White Army): The White Army consisted of a diverse coalition of groups opposed to the Bolshevik government. This coalition included monarchists, liberals, anti-communist socialists, and foreign interventionists. They were called the "Whites" due to the white color of their military uniforms.

Green Army: The Green Army was composed of peasant militias that rose up against both the Reds and Whites, often fighting for their local autonomy and land redistribution.

Foreign Interventionists: Several foreign countries, including the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Japan, and others, supported the White Army in their efforts to overthrow the Bolshevik government. These interventions were partly motivated by fears of the spread of communism and the desire to protect their own interests in the region.

• The Red Army gradually gained the upper hand and succeeded in defeating the White Army and other opposition forces. 
• The war officially ended in 1922 when the last White Army forces were defeated.

The outcome of the Russian Civil War led to the establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922, with Moscow as its capital. The Soviet Union became the world's first socialist state, and the Bolsheviks renamed the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), became the ruling party under a one-party system. 

Sino-Japanese Wars 1931-33

The Sino-Japanese Wars of 1931-33, also known as the Manchurian Incident and the Second Sino-Japanese War, were a series of conflicts between China and Japan during the early 1930s. 

These wars were pivotal events in the lead-up to World War II.

• The Mukden Incident (Manchurian Incident) - September 18, 1931:
• Establishment of Manchukuo - February 1932:
• The Shanghai Incident (January-February 1932):
• The January 28 Incident (Shanghai War) - January 28, 1932:

Arab – Israeli War 

The Arab-Israeli War is a term used to refer to a series of armed conflicts that have taken place between various Arab states and Israel since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. These wars have been fueled by deep-rooted historical, political, and territorial issues in the region, particularly centered around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The major Arab-Israeli wars:

• 1948 Arab-Israeli War (War of Independence)

• 1956 Suez Crisis (Second Arab-Israeli War)

• 1967 Six-Day War

• 1973 Yom Kippur War (October War)

• Lebanon War (1982)

Korean War 1950-1953

The Korean War was a significant armed conflict that took place between 1950 and 1953 on the Korean Peninsula. It resulted from the division of Korea after World War II, with the North led by a communist government and the South by a capitalist one. The war had widespread international involvement, with various countries providing military and logistical support to both sides.

The conflict between North Korea supported by China and South Korea supported by UN forces dominated by the USA 

Vietnam War 1954-1975

The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, was a prolonged conflict that took place from 1954 to 1975 in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. It was a complex and multifaceted war with deep historical roots and significant international involvement.

The conflict between US-backed South Vietnam and the Viet Cong who had the support of communist North Vietnam 

Iran – Iraq War 1980-1990

War began shortly after the Iranian Revolution of 1979

Iraq wanted control over oil-rich Iranian border territory 

Falkland War 1982

Military conflict between Great Britain and Argentina on the question of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands led to the war Brittan won the war 

Gulf War 1991

Military action by a US-led coalition to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait

Bosnian War 1992-98

War in Bosnia and Herzegovina 

US Afghan War 2001

Military action by the US against Afghanistan in protest against the 11th Sept attack on WTC Towers 

Gulf War II 2003

Military action by a US-led coalition to oust Saddam Hussain from power in Iraq 

Other Major Wars and Conflicts of the 20th Century

1898–1901 Boxer Rebellion

1899–1902 Boer War

1904–1905 Russo-Japanese War

1910–1920 Mexican Revolution

1912–1913 First and Second Balkan Wars

1914–1918 World War I

1915–1918 Armenian Genocide

1917 -Russian Revolution

1918–1921 Russian Civil War

1919–1921 Irish War of Independence

1927–1937 Chinese Civil War

1933–1945 Holocaust

1935–1936 Second Italo-Abyssinian War 

1936–1939 Spanish Civil War

1939–1945 World War II

1945–1990 Cold War

1946–1949 Chinese Civil War resumes

1946–1954 First Indochina War (also known as the French-Indochina War)

1948 -Israel War of Independence (also known as the Arab-Israeli War)

1950–1953 Korean War

1954–1962 French-Algerian War

1955–1972 First Sudanese Civil War

1956 -Suez Crisis

1959 -Cuban Revolution

1959–1975 Vietnam War

1967 -Six-Day War

1979–1989 Soviet-Afghan War

1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War

1990–1991 Persian Gulf War

1991–1995 Third Balkan War

1994- Rwandan Genocide